Toward Picard-Lefschetz theory of path integrals, complex saddles and resurgence
From MaRDI portal
(Redirected from Publication:679636)
Structure of families (Picard-Lefschetz, monodromy, etc.) (14D05) Applications of vector bundles and moduli spaces in mathematical physics (twistor theory, instantons, quantum field theory) (14D21) Semiclassical techniques, including WKB and Maslov methods applied to problems in quantum theory (81Q20) Nonperturbative methods of renormalization applied to problems in quantum field theory (81T16) Supersymmetric field theories in quantum mechanics (81T60) Other elementary particle theory in quantum theory (81V25) Path integrals in quantum mechanics (81S40) Picard-type theorems and generalizations for several complex variables (32H25)
Abstract: We show that the semi-classical analysis of generic Euclidean path integrals necessarily requires complexification of the action and measure, and consideration of complex saddle solutions. We demonstrate that complex saddle points have a natural interpretation in terms of the Picard-Lefschetz theory. Motivated in part by the semi-classical expansion of QCD with adjoint matter on , we study quantum-mechanical systems with bosonic and fermionic (Grassmann) degrees of freedom with harmonic degenerate minima, as well as (related) purely bosonic systems with harmonic non-degenerate minima. We find exact finite action non-BPS bounce and bion solutions to the holomorphic Newton equations. We find not only real solutions, but also complex solution with non-trivial monodromy, and finally complex multi-valued and singular solutions. Complex bions are necessary for obtaining the correct non-perturbative structure of these models. In the supersymmetric limit the complex solutions govern the ground state properties, and their contribution to the semiclassical expansion is necessary to obtain consistency with the supersymmetry algebra. The multi-valuedness of the action is either related to the hidden topological angle or to the resurgent cancellation of ambiguities. We also show that in the approximate multi-instanton description the integration over the complex quasi-zero mode thimble produces the most salient features of the exact solutions. While exact complex saddles are more difficult to construct in quantum field theory, the relation to the approximate thimble construction suggests that such solutions may be underlying some remarkable features of approximate bion saddles in quantum field theories.
Recommendations
- Complexified path integrals, exact saddles, and supersymmetry
- Critical points at infinity, non-Gaussian saddles, and bions
- Resurgence theory, ghost-instantons, and analytic continuation of path integrals
- Complexified path integrals and the phases of quantum field theory
- Decoding perturbation theory using resurgence: Stokes phenomena, new saddle points and Lefschetz thimbles
Cited in
(33)- TBA equations and exact WKB analysis in deformed supersymmetric quantum mechanics
- Globally exact asymptotics for integrals with arbitrary order saddles
- Two-point functions at arbitrary genus and its resurgence structure in a matrix model for 2D type IIA superstrings
- Resurgence of one-point functions in a matrix model for 2D type IIA superstrings
- Cheshire cat resurgence, self-resurgence and quasi-exact solvable systems
- Critical points at infinity, non-Gaussian saddles, and bions
- Stability analysis of a non-unitary CFT
- On exact-WKB analysis, resurgent structure, and quantization conditions
- Discrete gravity dynamics from effective spin foams
- Deconstructing zero: resurgence, supersymmetry and complex saddles
- Complexified path integrals, exact saddles, and supersymmetry
- Real-time Feynman path integral with Picard-Lefschetz theory and its applications to quantum tunneling
- Complexified path integrals and the phases of quantum field theory
- Complex saddles and euclidean wormholes in the Lorentzian path integral
- Resurgence theory, ghost-instantons, and analytic continuation of path integrals
- Non-BPS exact solutions and their relation to bions in \(\mathbb C\mathbb P^{N-1}\) models
- Eccentric catastrophes & what to do with them
- Complex saddle points and the sign problem in complex Langevin simulation
- Exact WKB and the quantum Seiberg-Witten curve for 4d \(N = 2\) pure SU(3) Yang-Mills. Abelianization
- The response field and the saddle points of quantum mechanical path integrals
- Borel resummation of secular divergences in stochastic inflation
- Modularity and 4D-2D spectral equivalences for large-N gauge theories with adjoint matter
- Resurgence and semiclassical expansion in two-dimensional large-\(N\) sigma models
- Picard-Lefschetz decomposition and Cheshire Cat resurgence in 3D \(\mathcal{N} = 2\) field theories
- Decoding perturbation theory using resurgence: Stokes phenomena, new saddle points and Lefschetz thimbles
- WKB and resurgence in the Mathieu equation
- The imaginary-time path integral and non-time-reversal-invariant saddle points of the Euclidean action
- Instantons in the Hofstadter butterfly: difference equation, resurgence and quantum mirror curves
- Semi-classical analysis of the string theory cigar
- Resurgence analysis of quantum invariants of Seifert fibered homology spheres
- Exact-WKB, complete resurgent structure, and mixed anomaly in quantum mechanics on \(S^1\)
- The curious incident of multi-instantons and the necessity of Lefschetz thimbles
- Gutzwiller's semiclassical trace formula and Maslov-type index theory for symplectic paths
This page was built for publication: Toward Picard-Lefschetz theory of path integrals, complex saddles and resurgence
Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q679636)
